President Signs Short-term FAA Funding Bill
U.S. Senate OK’d Short-term FAA Funding
By Karen Di Piazza / Aug. 5, 2011
FAA funding has been a hot issue for years. Today, after the Senate passed legislation for funding of the Federal Aviation Administration on a short-term extension until September 16, President Barack Obama signed the bill making it official. Earlier today, in less than 60 seconds, via a pro forma session, Sen. Webb (D –Va.) brought House bill H.R. 2553 up asking for passage; Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) had no objections and gaveled the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2011 effective. FAA short-term funding has restored 74,000 agency and airport construction crews’ jobs.
FAA Funding Woes
The two-week-long partial FAA shutdown—with a revenue loss of $200 million a week—forced the furlough of 4,000 FAA employees, including 1,200 of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. “This was a tremendously difficult time for them and their families, and for all of the tens of thousands of construction workers who didn’t get paid while their airport projects were shut down by the lack of funding. While this chapter is now closed, we’ll continue to fight for these workers moving forward in hopes that this never happens again,” said NATCA’s president Paul Rinaldi.
FAA Funding for 21st Time
This FAA funding authorization marks the 21st short-term extension since 2007. It’s questionable if the Senate and the House can play nice and pass a long-term FAA funding bill. Fighting like cats and dogs, Democrats and Republicans have very different views with regards to funding or cutting the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which subsidizes small rural communities with commercial airline service. Sharp claws are also out over whether it should be made more difficult or easier for airline employees to unionize.
These differences are what led to the partial FAA shutdown on July 22 at midnight. For now, the short-term 21st extension FAA funding bill includes cuts to the EAS and makes it more difficult for airline employees to unionize—exactly what the Senate objected to in the first place.
Earlier this year the Senate passed a two-year $35.6 billion FAA reauthorization bill; the House passed a four-year $59.7 billion version. Currently, members of Congress are out on holiday until September 7. When Congress returns it will have to work differences out or pass a 22nd short-term FAA funding bill before September 16.
One thing is for sure: the American public has made it clear they’re more than sick of Republican and Democratic rhetoric.
Adele
Glad the president finally signed a short-term FAA funding bill, but we’ll see what happens when Congress returns after vacation–bet it will be more of the same; no progress.